Bulgaria

Bulgaria has been around since 681 AD, making it the oldest surviving state in Europe - older than France, England, or Spain. The First Bulgarian Empire was a genuine power that rivaled Byzantium, and the Cyrillic alphabet that half of Eastern Europe uses was actually developed here in the 9th century. And yet, most people's first association with Bulgaria is... yogurt? Which is fair, because Bulgarian yogurt really is different - it contains a unique strain of bacteria literally named Lactobacillus bulgaricus.

Beyond the yogurt, Bulgaria packs a surprising amount into a small country. The Black Sea coast has resort towns and ancient Greek ruins. The Rose Valley near Kazanlak produces 85% of the world's rose oil. Sofia is a capital with Roman ruins under its streets and a 1,600-year-old church that's been in continuous use. The skiing is cheap and good, the hiking in the Rila and Pirin mountains is spectacular, and the Thracian tombs scattered across the countryside contain some of the most stunning gold artifacts ever discovered.